Have a child taking the PSLE in 2026 or after? Then, you will need to know that the PSLE syllabus has changed slightly from 2025 to 2026. The 2026 PSLE Science Syllabus involves the removal of topics, a reorganisation of how the topics are taught, clearer learning outcomes as well as an increased emphasis on skills instead of memorisation.

Students who were in Primary 3 in 2023 would have already been following this new syllabus, which makes them the first batch to experience the new syllabus at the PSLE in 2026. If you are planning to use any PSLE assessment books or past year papers, it is also useful to note these changes so that you can know which topics to skip and what type of questions to focus on.

Now, let’s take a closer look at what the changes are:

‘Cells’ is no longer in the syllabus

Primary school students used to learn about the Cell System in Upper Primary. But starting from the 2023 batch of Primary 3 students, Cells will no longer be officially in the syllabus. This means that students will no longer need to know the terms for the parts of cells, like cytoplasm and nucleus. Hopefully, the removal of this topic will reduce the study load of primary school students, and allow them to dive deeper into other topics.

Topics will be organised by level

The old PSLE Science syllabus sorted the topics into Lower Block and Upper Block, giving schools the flexibility to teach the topics in any order within each block. The new syllabus, however, has allocated every topic to a specific level. Doing so provides more consistency across schools, which can be a good thing for students who are attending external Primary School Science tuition classes, or students who transfer between schools.

You can find the list of topics for each level in the table below:

The learning outcomes are more specific

The revised syllabus has more specific Learning Outcomes (LOs), including keywords and phrases that students are required (or not required) to know. With more specific goals, teachers and students can focus their revision on what will be tested, and not try to cram everything ‘just in case’.

Some examples include:

• Added mention of the main focus of certain topics.
• Added mention of what concepts or keywords students do NOT need to know.
• Added mention of some keywords that students are expected to know for the given topic.

There is more emphasis on skills

In line with the Ministry of Education’s shift towards exams that are less content-focused and more skills-focused, the PSLE Science syllabus indicates an increased emphasis on various skills, including practical skills, experimental skills, and higher-order thinking skills.

We can see this from the updated glossary in the syllabus that now includes terms like:

• Analyse
• Evaluate
• Formulate hypothesis
• Solve problems
• Make decisions
• Use apparatus and equipment

Instead of just regurgitating information, students taking the PSLE from 2026 onwards need to show that they are able to apply these skills. For example, they will need to know how to take measurements, read tables and graphs, and design suitable experiments.

Conclusion

The updated PSLE Science syllabus aims to build deeper thinkers and more confident problem-solvers. However, the increased focus on skills means students may need additional support – more than just for content, but for honing their exam technique, analysis skills, and exposure to new styles of questions.

A structured programme with the guidance of experienced Primary School Tutors in Singapore can help students get equipped with higher-order thinking skills and stay on top of the PSLE syllabus changes. With the right guidance and a clear understanding of the new syllabus, your child can approach the PSLE with confidence and readiness!

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